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The clinical signs, treatments used and spread of psoroptic mange in cattle from October 2007 until March 2011 are described. The disease was first diagnosed in South West Wales, having not been reported in Great Britain since the 1980s. The likely source was identified as a farm that had imported two animals from mainland Europe in the summer of 2006. Since that time, disease has been diagnosed on a further 22 premises, the majority in South West Wales but also in South East and Mid Wales and on one farm in England. Bought in animals harbouring the Psoroptes species mite but not showing clinical signs were considered the greatest risk of introducing the infestation into a herd. This, together with the difficulties of treatment to eliminate the parasite, means that it is unlikely that this outbreak has been controlled. There is also a continuing threat of importing the disease from abroad. The disease is not notifiable in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical signs, treatments used and spread of psoroptic mange in cattle from October 2007 until March 2011 are described. The disease was first diagnosed in South West Wales, having not been reported in Great Britain since the 1980s. The likely source was identified as a farm that had imported two animals from mainland Europe in the summer of 2006. Since that time, disease has been diagnosed on a further 22 premises, the majority in South West Wales but also in South East and Mid Wales and on one farm in England. Bought in animals harbouring the Psoroptes species mite but not showing clinical signs were considered the greatest risk of introducing the infestation into a herd. This, together with the difficulties of treatment to eliminate the parasite, means that it is unlikely that this outbreak has been controlled. There is also a continuing threat of importing the disease from abroad. The disease is not notifiable in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers news briefs related to animal welfare in Great Britain. A symposium on the impact of selective breeding on animal welfares is being organized by the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW). Welsh Assembly Government is calling for views on draft regulations for the welfare of meat chickens in Wales. The 2009 summer conference of Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) will focus on the links in animal health, human disease and climate change.

In this article the author discusses aspects of the alleged successful bluetongue prevention in Great Britain in 2008. He is critical of the measures undertaken by the government in England and Wales on the compulsory program of vaccination against bluetongue. Also investigated is the two possible sources of infections.